[Reporter’s Notebook] The 1 Trillion Won 'K-pop Kingdom' Has No Home

"In Korea, even if you want to hold a concert, there are no available venues. Other countries are profiting significantly by taking advantage of the K-pop stage that Korea has set, while we are left behind." This is a statement from an executive at a major entertainment agency representing a famous K-pop group. The four leading domestic agencies (HYBE, SM, JYP, YG) are boosting their performance through overseas tour revenue. K-pop generates annual revenue of around 1 trillion won, and 4 out of 10 foreign tourists visit Korea for K-content. However, there is not a single permanent concert venue in Korea with more than 40,000 seats. Jamsil Main Stadium is under construction, and it is difficult to rent Gocheok Dome and Seoul World Cup Stadium due to sports schedules. As a result, large-scale concerts are concentrated at the 20,000-seat KSPO Dome in Seoul. There are a few venues in the metropolitan area with around 10,000 seats, but the penalty conditions for concerts are strict and acce

General

11.17 11:26

Deoksugung Seokjojeon Concert to Be Held on the 26th

The Deoksugung Palace Management Office of the National Heritage Administration's Royal Palaces and Tombs Center announced on the 17th that it will hold the "Deoksugung Seokjojeon Concert" at Seokjojeon Hall in Deoksugung Palace at 7 p.m. on the 26th, in collaboration with the Kumho Cultural Foundation. Seokjojeon Hall is the first Western-style stone building constructed within Deoksugung Palace by Emperor Gojong. The Seokjojeon Concert has received enthusiastic responses every year, as it allows audiences to enjoy classical music in the imperial palace of the Korean Empire. This year's performance will feature the Kumho Soloists, an ensemble composed of musicians who are alumni of the Kumho Young Artist program. Violinists Kim Jaeyoung and Lee Jihye, violist Yoon Sohee, and cellists Kim Minji and Lee Sangeun will perform Schubert's String Quintet "D.956." Participants will be selected by lottery. Eighty people will be chosen from among those who apply through the Royal Palaces and To

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11.17 09:00

Join the Ancient Ironmaking Technology Restoration Experiment

A program offering hands-on experience with ancient ironmaking technology will be available. The National Jungwon Institute of Cultural Heritage under the Cultural Heritage Administration announced on November 17 that it will run a citizen participation program for experimental restoration of ancient ironmaking technology at the Ironmaking Technology Restoration Laboratory in Chungju, North Chungcheong Province, starting at 1 p.m. on November 25. Participants will have the opportunity to try smithing under the guidance of a master artisan and observe the restoration experiment while listening to explanations from a curator. They will also be able to closely examine iron weapons such as ring-pommel swords and arrows made from iron materials produced in previous experiments. Smithing refers to the process of forging iron into objects by hammering. Applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis for up to 25 people, starting at 9 a.m. on November 18, through the Jungwon

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11.17 09:00

National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage to Hold Symposium on Climate Crisis and Cultural Heritage

An international academic symposium will be held on the topic of the climate crisis and cultural heritage. The National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage announced on the 17th that it will co-host a symposium with the ICOMOS Korea Committee at the Ramada Hotel in Daejeon at 1:30 p.m. on the 18th. The event will provide an opportunity to share the current state of climate change and disaster damage to cultural heritage in Korea and abroad, as well as discuss response measures. Abnormal weather and disasters pose threats not only to lives and property but also to the preservation of national heritage. In fact, from 2008 to September this year, 80 percent of disaster damage to Korean national heritage was caused by meteorological disasters such as heavy rain, typhoons, and heavy snow. The keynote speech will be delivered by Mario Santana Quintero, professor at Carleton University in Canada, who will discuss digital tools for climate action and the protection of cultural heritage. Th

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11.17 09:00

Thirty Winning Entries Selected for Korea Traditional Landscape Architecture Competition... Exhibition at Deoksugung Palace

Thirty winning entries have been selected for the Korea Traditional Landscape Architecture Competition, the only contest in the field of traditional landscape architecture. The National Heritage Administration will hold the awards ceremony at 2 p.m. on November 17 at Jungmyeongjeon Hall in Deoksugung Palace. This year, 101 entries featuring ideas for the modern succession of traditional landscapes were submitted. Thirty works were chosen through expert review and public evaluation across three categories: digital design of traditional landscapes, photographs and videos of modern and contemporary traditional landscape spaces, and outstanding traditional landscape construction cases. The winning entries in the digital design category will serve as foundational data for establishing standard models of traditional gardens, while the award-winning works in the photography and video category will be used as reference materials for restoration and maintenance. The winning works will be exhibi

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11.17 09:00

Obongsan Mountain in Boseong and Geomundo Island in Yeosu Designated as Scenic Heritage Sites

The combined heritage of Obongsan Mountain in Boseong and Geomundo Island in Yeosu will now be managed as scenic sites. The National Heritage Administration announced on November 17 that “Yongchu-dong and Kalbawi area of Obongsan Mountain in Boseong, Jeollanam-do” and “Suwolsan area of Geomundo Island in Yeosu” have been designated as national scenic natural heritage sites. Both locations have been recognized for their outstanding natural landscapes, as well as their historical relics and ecological value. Yongchu-dong and Kalbawi area of Obongsan Mountain in Boseong have been recorded as scenic spots in various geographical books and anthologies, such as “Sinjeung Dongguk Yeoji Seungnam” and “Dongguk Yeoji Ji.” Even today, unique rock formations such as Pung-hyeolji and Kalbawi can be seen along the hiking trails. Pung-hyeolji is a geological feature where cool winds blow in summer and warm winds in winter. From the summit, visitors can enjoy coastal views of Deukryang Bay on the sout

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11.17 09:00

Song Hyekyo and Seo Kyungduk Promote Female Independence Activist Kim Hyanghwa at Home and Abroad

On November 17, in commemoration of 'Patriots and Veterans Day,' Professor Seo Kyungduk of Sungshin Women's University produced and released a multilingual video titled "Breaking Through the Barriers of the Era to Shout for Independence: Gisaeng Kim Hyanghwa" for audiences both in Korea and abroad. This four-minute video was planned by Professor Seo and sponsored by actress Song Hyekyo. It features narration in both Korean and English, allowing it to be widely disseminated among viewers domestically and internationally. The main content of the video details the historical event in which Kim Hyanghwa and more than 30 gisaengs took out the Taegeukgi and conducted the March 1st Movement in front of Jahye Hospital inside Hwaseong Haenggung Palace. In particular, the video highlights how their bold cries for independence in front of the police station inspired similar 'Gisaeng Independence Movements' across the country. Professor Seo stated, "In order to shed new light on the lives of femal

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11.17 08:01

[The Homeland of K-pop Without a Home] "World Tours Exist, but No Stage in Seoul"

Countries around the world are actively expanding investments in large-scale venues, viewing the global concert industry?including K-pop?as a new growth engine. In contrast, although Korea has grown into the world's third-largest music market, it faces the paradoxical situation where a lack of domestic concert infrastructure leads to concert revenue and tourism spending flowing overseas. Major cities such as Japan, Singapore, and Hong Kong have completed large arenas with capacities of 50,000 seats, entering a fierce competition for dominance in the Asian concert market. Tokyo Dome in Japan holds around 80 large-scale concerts annually, generating tourism consumption worth about 1 trillion won. Since its opening in 2014, Singapore Sports Hub has hosted world tour stages by BTS, Coldplay, Taylor Swift, and others, establishing itself as a concert hub in Southeast Asia. Hong Kong's Kai Tak Sports Park attracted 200,000 people over four days with a concert by the band Mayday immediately a

General

11.17 07:00

"Jang Wonyoung Drinks It Too" Why Women in Their 20s and 30s Are Hooked on the 'Olle Shot'

[Reporter’s Notebook] The 1 Trillion Won 'K-pop Kingdom' Has No Home

Deoksugung Seokjojeon Concert to Be Held on the 26th

Join the Ancient Ironmaking Technology Restoration Experiment

National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage to Hold Symposium on Climate Crisis and Cultural Heritage

Thirty Winning Entries Selected for Korea Traditional Landscape Architecture Competition... Exhibition at Deoksugung Palace

Obongsan Mountain in Boseong and Geomundo Island in Yeosu Designated as Scenic Heritage Sites

Song Hyekyo and Seo Kyungduk Promote Female Independence Activist Kim Hyanghwa at Home and Abroad

[The Homeland of K-pop Without a Home] "World Tours Exist, but No Stage in Seoul"

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